He's not too concerned by the critics, but comedian Brendan O'Carloll admitted that "the younger members of the cast" find negative comments about the new film difficult to swallow.

The 58-year-old BAFTA winner held the world premiere of Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie in Dublin last week.

While thousands of fans are expected to flock to cinemas across the country and the UK to watch matriarch Agnes Brown on the silver screen, the flick has received some bad reviews.

Although he's not too bothered, personally, Florida-based Brendan said that he feels sorry for his fellow co-stars.

"I'm like a sieve, but it affects some of the other members of the cast, particularly the younger ones," Brendan said.

"That stuff doesn't hurt me and you get used to it.

"I can only write what I think is funny, for the audience.

"I know it hurts the younger members of the family though and that's tough."

Speaking on RTE Radio One yesterday, Brendan continued: "You expect your kids to work hard and they come up trumps every time. I'm very proud of it [the film]."

The summer flick takes the story beyond the front porch of fruit and veg trader Mrs Brown, as she fights to save her market stall from a ruthless developer.

Finglas native Brendan snubbed a lavish screening of D'Movie in London's Leicester Square in order to host the first official screening in his hometown and let his Irish supporters be the first to see the action unfold.

"It just means an awful lot to me. It's my home town, it's a movie about my home town and I'm very proud of being a Dubliner," Brendan said.

Mrs Brown's Boys the programme has attracted viewers from Iceland to Australia since it made its TV debut in 2011.

The cast of the BBC and RTE television phenomenon recently returned from a sold-out tour in Australia where they put on live shows to more than 300,000 people.